3:14 「你要寫信給老底嘉教會的使者,說:『那為阿們的,為誠信真實見證的,在上帝創造萬物之上為元首的,說:
3:15 我知道你的行為,你也不冷也不熱;我巴不得你或冷或熱。
3:16 你既如溫水,也不冷也不熱,所以我必從我口中把你吐出去。
3:17 你說:我是富足,已經發了財,一樣都不缺;卻不知道你是那困苦、可憐、貧窮、瞎眼、赤身的。
3:18 我勸你向我買火煉的金子,叫你富足;又買白衣穿上,叫你赤身的羞恥不露出來;又買眼藥擦你的眼睛,使你能看見。
3:19 凡我所疼愛的,我就責備管教他;所以你要發熱心,也要悔改。
3:20 看哪,我站在門外叩門,若有聽見我聲音就開門的,我要進到他那裡去,我與他,他與我一同坐席。
3:21 得勝的,我要賜他在我寶座上與我同坐,就如我得了勝,在我父的寶座上與他同坐一般。
3:22 聖靈向眾教會所說的話,凡有耳的,就應當聽!』」
“And to the angel of the church in
Laodicea write: ‘The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the
beginning of God's creation.
“‘I
know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold
or hot! So, because you are lukewarm,
and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and
I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and
naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold
refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may
clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to
anoint your eyes, so that you may see.
Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and
repent. Behold, I stand at the door and
knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and
eat with him, and he with me. The one
who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered
and sat down with my Father on his throne.
He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
*******
老底嘉教會被主責備:「我知道你的行為,你也不冷也不熱;我巴不得你或冷或熱」。有人就用這話來責備現今的教會,其實現今的教會比老底嘉教會的狀況更嚴重,根本是冷淡!
然而主卻沒有丟棄老底嘉教會,仍然勉勵他們:「凡我所疼愛的,我就責備管教他;所以你要發熱心,也要悔改。看哪,我站在門外叩門,若有聽見我聲音就開門的,我要進到他那裡去,我與他,他與我一同坐席。得勝的,我要賜他在我寶座上與我同坐,就如我得了勝,在我父的寶座上與他同坐一般。」
其實今日主仍然這樣勉勵他的教會,教會一定要為主「發熱心」,不要再冷淡了!